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Project NSA

My friend and colleague Tina Glasneck has tagged me for a blog hop – The Next Big Thing. She’s got ten questions for me about my work in progress. The rules are asking me to answer these ten questions and then tag five other people. I am one of those horrible people who doesn’t generally tag other people (it feels chain-lettery, I don’t really know that many people, and to be honest, I should be progressing with the work in progress). So the only person I’m tagging is Tina. More about Tina below.

First, the Q and A:

What’s the working title of your book?Project NSA

Where did the idea for your book come from? I remember learning that the reason women can’t sleep around like men is because the hormone oxytocin, released into the female brain at the moment of orgasm, causes us to feel bonded to our sex partners. So even if we don’t care much about him beforehand, he’s going to matter to us afterwards. And I just thought that was the biggest biological RIP-OFF! I just thought we should have something to keep that from happening, and that’s the quest driving my hero.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Believe it or not, I can answer this question for any of my works in progress except this one. My characters for Project NSAdon’t really look like anyone working in Hollywood.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Armed with the ability to enjoy sex without commitment, a headstrong playgirl will choose between her brainy best friend and her brawny fuck buddy.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Neither. Once I’m done, I’m going to start submitting it directly to publishers myself.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? The very first draft? I did it in a little less than 30 days, for NaNoWriMo. It’s changed A LOT since then. But that very first draft was done by that Thanksgiving. Subsequent drafts have taken … a little longer.

What other books within your genre would you compare your book to? Oh, wow. I really don’t know. I try not to read too closely to what I’m writing while I’m writing, so the books that would be the answer to this question … are precisely the books I’ve got to avoid until I finish.

Who or what inspired you to write this book? This book is my big chance to right the immense biological wrong that is the oxytocin bond. And if some neuroscientist reads this one day and wants to correct the oxytocin rip-off in real life, then some part of my mission as a writer is complete.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? The story definitely plays with the idea that smart is sexy. I think the story will appeal to readers who like their guys brainy … and to those who enjoy a nicely built alpha male.

And now for the tagging.

Tina’s uniquely disturbing take on suspense in Thou Shall Not is definitely worth your attention. It’s not like any suspense I’ve read before. If you’ve been following her blog, you probably already kind of know what I’m talking about. If not … why aren’t you?

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This is not my usual day to post, but my buddy Tracey Livesay tagged me for a game. It’s called “Look,” and this is how it works.

First, I search through my work in progress for the word “look.” Then I pick a place where the word occurs and I post it and a paragraph or two around it, and then finally, I tag a friend to play along behind me.

This excerpt is from my work in progress, Project NSA, which won the Passionate Reads Pitch Contest longer ago than I like to admit. This little snippet comes from the first chapter; the whole chapter is still up, deep in the Passionate Reads archives.

Enjoy!

John took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Grace didn’t know anyone under the age of fifty who still wore glasses, but she couldn’t imagine John without them. On another man, they’d scream “computer dork,” but on him … they made him looklike the hot professor on every college campus who always had a huge class filled with blushing girls. They also drew attention to his warm brown eyes, soft and bright and intense, all at the same time.

One night, a lifetime ago, he had led her, swaying and tipsy, to her door, and in the hallway, she’d stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. The world twirled away beneath her feet, and she’d had to steady herself against him, her hands on shoulders that were stronger than she’d imagined. He’d started to return her kiss, his long fingers stroking the small of her back, drawing her closer. Then his hands were on her hips, pushing her away. He’d been so gentle, touching her as if she were a priceless antique when he kissed her forehead and said goodnight.

They’d both been drinking, he’d said the next night. Taking the next step would have been a bad idea, he’d said. And he was right. Something about him still captured her imagination, but he was right.

Good thing they were still friends.

And here’s where the fun starts — go check out Vallory Vance! She’s got some hot interracial romances and lots of other excitement happening at her blog.

Header Cred

Lex Valentine designed my sexy new header, which exemplifies my brand promise to get you smart, sexy reads. Want a smoking hot design of your own? Check her out at Winterheart Designs (www.winterheart.com).